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Original poster

Secondary Admissions

34 replies

Doodl · 01/03/2023 23:06

I’m after some advice please. We got our DD’s place through today and while she’s happy with the school offered, I’m not. She has her friends going there which I understand is important and to be considered but the school itself is not great. It has recently been ofsted inspected with an outcome of requires improvement with heavy emphasis on bullying and attendance issues. Do I keep my DD happy or apply to waiting lists? If we are successful with a waiting list place our current allocation is removed so we can’t make our mind up then, we have to decide now if we wish to be placed on the waiting list.

On a side note, when we visited the schools, this particular school (the non favourite!) showed a PowerPoint stating “fact” if you don’t put us as first choice you won’t get a space. This influenced our preference order as I didn’t want my DD being sent further or to another not so good school. Although I didn’t put it as first place, we risked and put it as our second option. We missed out on our first choice but have since found out if we’d put our third choice in second place we would have gotten it. I can’t help but feel really gutted. Are there any grounds to appeal on this basis?

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 02/03/2023 08:10

Also, would you have to opt out of the waitlist for School 1, otherwise the same might happen there?

SheilaFentiman · 02/03/2023 08:03

If DD thinks she’s going to school 2, I don’t think you can waitlist/reapply for school 3 (and others) without telling her.

Original poster
Doodl · 02/03/2023 07:59

@LockInAtTheFeathers Thank you for taking the time to reply. Completely agree on every point. Just disappointed I didn’t order the schools differently.

I guess different LA’s handle differently then? I presumed that would be standard across the board. It’s whether I tell DD we are on the waiting list or say nothing until we potentially are offered.

OP posts:
Original poster
Doodl · 02/03/2023 07:54

Thank you, as I expected but good to know for sure

OP posts:
LockInAtTheFeathers · 02/03/2023 04:52

Are you in Hertfordshire? I've heard of them automatically removing places when one comes up on a waiting list, though most LAs offer the new place and give you a few days to decide between them, which seems like much better practice. It shouldn't matter that it's a phase transfer.

It's very annoying that the open days are giving incorrect information, but there was no risk in losing your place at this school as long as it was on your form somewhere. The schools do not know where you have listed them, and you will be offered your highest preference that is able to offer you a place, so you should always list in your genuine order of preference (while including somewhere a school that you can be fair sure of gaining a place at if possible). However, if you would have got into your third preference if you had listed it higher, you must have met the admissions criteria and so you would presumably be very high up on a waiting list, so I think making sure you are on the waiting list for this school would be your best chance of admission. Only you can decide which would be best for you and your DD, but if you preferred the other school initially and this one has bullying mentioned I would personally be having a chat with her and trying to get her on board, and getting on the waiting list.

prh47bridge · 01/03/2023 23:44

I'm afraid the school giving misleading information is not grounds for a successful appeal.

SheilaFentiman · 01/03/2023 23:16

Wow! That’s pretty tough :-(

Original poster
Doodl · 01/03/2023 23:14

This is the info from the email:- If a vacancy occurs, you will be notified in writing, and we will assume you are accepting the place offered and your child's original allocation will automatically be withdrawn as children can only have one school place at one time.

because it’s a phase transfer it works slightly differently to an in year waiting list. I think!

OP posts:
SheilaFentiman · 01/03/2023 23:12

“If we are successful with a waiting list place our current allocation is removed so we can’t make our mind up then”

I might be wrong, but I don’t think it works like that. You can be put on the waiting list and then, if they get to you, they should ask and give you a couple of days at least to accept. Lots of people go on the waiting list for their first choice then in the meantime start getting uniform and going to transition days and decide to stick with what they have.